Gram Panchayat elections were to be held in June in Karnataka. But BJP & Congress don't seem to agree on how to go about the same during this pandemic. This has resulted in a political slugfest in the state.

Bengaluru: A delegation of senior leaders of the Congress including the party president DK Shivakumar & LoP Siddaramaiah met the state election commissioner on Friday and submitted a memorandum urging him to hold elections in all the 6,012 Gram Panchayats in the Karnataka.

Attempt to saffronise Gram Panchayat

Speaking to Times Now, DK Shivakumar said: "As per the constitution election needs to be conducted, in the co-operative sector they have extended the term of those elected, they can do the same thing here in gram panchayat as they are elected without party symbols."

"The BJP just wants to saffronise the gram panchayats by nominating their men to the rural body," Shivakumar added.

BJP looking to consolidate Gram Panchayats or Fight Covid-19?

Just recently the Minister for rural development & panchayat Raj KS Eshwarappa mooted the idea of postponing the gram panchayat election owing to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, but it is the proposal that followed that has raked up a political storm.

Government wants to appoint administrators to govern Gram Panchayats

While gram panchayat elections are not fought under party symbols, they elected representatives definitely have political leanings. While the BJP could just continue the term of those in office now, they have proposed nominating councils for the Gram Panchayats who will continue until elections can be held again.

Speaking to the media a few days ago Panchayat Raj minister KS Eshwarappa said: "We have 6,012 Gram Panchayats in the Karnataka. Most of their terms will end around June. Due to COVID-19, we will we have decided to postpone elections by atleast six months, however, we do not want to leave the administrative body empty. We will form administrative councils at every Gram Panchayat under Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj Act 1993."

What does BJP gain through this move?

While holding an election during the Covid-19 situation is definitely not a good idea, the idea of appointing administrative councils seems like a well thought out decision of the BJP, giving them complete control of over 6,000-gram panchayats which otherwise is an A-political body.

The ball now lies in the court of the election commission, it remains to be seen whether the electoral body will prove as an obstacle to this grand plan of the BJP in Karnataka.

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